TJ Cloutier famously once used the phrase ‘no set, no bet’. But while this is certainly a safe way to play a small pocket pair, I’d argue it’s not the most profitable. Just because you haven’t hit your hand, don’t always be quick to throw it away. If you’re the pre-flop aggressor and have been called, I would recommend pretty much always following through with a bet on the flop. Obviously this will depend on both the number of callers and the texture of the flop. In the extreme case of seven callers and a flop of A♣-Q♣-10♣, it’s quite clear that a pair of twos are unlikely to be the best hand; but at the other extreme, with a heads-up pot and a flop of 9-6-4 rainbow, chances are your opponent hasn’t connected and you can pick up the pot.

My general post-flop strategy when I haven’t hit a set will be to make a standard continuation bet and judge the reaction of my opponent(s).